New Jersey Hot Dogs

Food_Fan


John Fox,

Thanks for answering the question about George's and the Munchmobile.

I started going to George's when he had his wooden cart. The way I figure it; over the course of over 40 years I was probably there over 400 times. When I walked in the door and up to the counter they all recognized me because I had been going there so often and for so many years. 

After George's was sold there were two owners. Then one of the older guys (Co-owner?) disappeared. I never asked what happened to him because it was none of my business.

For the last +/- 20 years of George's existence there was only one owner. He was the older rather gruff gentleman. There were 2 younger guys that worked the counter. For a very short time there was a young lady that also worked there.

I'll say it again.

It was some time in the 1990's that I asked the owner of George's what brand of hot dogs he used. He told me "Marathon".

The man that I asked: "What kind of hotdogs are these?" was the older guy, the owner.

That was the first of only two times that I have ever asked that question at any of the many places where I've eaten hot dogs.

David_NYC discovered that "Always Tasty" went out of business in 1993. That jibes with George's owner telling me they used Marathon dogs when I asked him sometime in the 1990's.

I think that David_NYC should be called David_FBI.

Could they have switched to Best just before they closed? Sure.

Because of working late and going down the shore on weekends I hadn't been there for at least six months or more before they closed. When I finally got there I saw a sign that said that a doughnut place was going to open.

That brown "Always Tasty" sign hung on the white back wall and really stood out. For me it was there so long it just became part of the wall.

Side note:

I remember when George's decided to open for breakfast. It could have been in the late 1980's or early 1990's. They bought corrugated plastic signs with the new menu on them and hung them over the front counter. Since I was a regular customer of theirs I went there for breakfast to try and help them get started but it was opposite to the direction of my job so I only had breakfast there a few times. That, and I'm not much of a breakfast eater. I think the early opening lasted maybe a year.

I sure miss that place.
 
I think I'll try my hand at the chili again. I came pretty darn close the last time. This time I'll measure what I use. Boy, that will be a pain in the caboose but if it comes out right I'll post it here so that other George's fans can taste it again.

Food Fan,
 
I've only been to George's a handful of times. I'm sure you're more familiar with the place than I am. I spoke with someone who identified himself as an owner. He told me they used Always Tasty and then switched to Best's afterwards. It's quite possible that they used franks from Marathon (Sabrett) in the interim. When I went the franks were definitely Best's.

ken8038


As far as the reason why the Munchmobile never visited George's, I think the Munchmobile started in 1998. Didn't George's close a couple of years before that? (Sorry if the answer to when they closed is somewhere in this thread, I only looked back a couple of pages).

Ken,
 
George's definitely closed a good few years after 1998.

I just noticed that this historic thread has gone over 500,000 Viewers!
That's a Half of a Million Views!
Congratulations to John Fox and all the viewers and posters on here. It just proves that people do care about Roadfood and enjoy discussing the great foods of America-----And that includes NJ too!

There were even more posts and views of these posts. A lot had to be deleted when Roadfood made changes to their site a few years ago.
 
I'm thankful for all of the opinions and information posted here and elsewhere on this site . I've learned a lot and enjoyed some great roadfood (especially hot dogs) thanks to the recommendations and discoveries of posters. Where to get Bertman's mustard, where the only place in N.J. was that sold Hummel's franks, a hot dog truck selling a brand of franks that I never had before, information, history, and behind the scenes looks at some of the establishments and restaurants by the actual owners and people afiliated with them;  all this and more. This site is a great resource. Let's keep it going strong!

ken8083,
 
The first time that I ever heard of the Munchmobile was when my brother showed me an article about a hot dog trip they did that was in The Star Ledger. He knew about the many places that I visited and how I appreciated the many hot dogs available in NJ.
 
I continued to buy hot dogs from George's for years after that.
 
I can't remember in what year they closed but it was a few years after Don Schreiber, who owned Economy Color Card (ECC), sent all mfg. from Roselle & Elizabeth to Mexico and turned his long vacant ECC Eliz. building into a strip mall. The corner of the ECC parking lot is shown in the old aerial photos of George's on P. 33. In the last aerial that's dated 2002 you can see a rectangular bank on the strip mall property and George's is still there. This is the Permalink:
 
(You'll have to scroll down to see the pictures.)
 
http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/fb.ashx?m=487906
 
Hope you got those aerials of your old neighborhood.

Food fan: Thanks for the history lesson. I lived in Eliz (Elmora section) from 1985 to 1998 and my collection was that George's closed right around the time I moved, but I guess I'm wrong. Thanks again.

My son wanted a hot dog today, and I remember Tu/Wed/Thu this week is 'buy one, get one free' at Galloping Hill Inn.  As I feel the buns are a bit large for a single, I tried to order two doubles for the price of one.  They wouldn't do it, so I was forced to get two with fried onions/mustard, and two plain for my son.  I ended up pulling off alot of the bread on my two singles.  Don't understand the logic for not just letting me buy one double, the second free, but in any case they did hit the spot.

johnlockedema


My son wanted a hot dog today, and I remember Tu/Wed/Thu this week is 'buy one, get one free' at Galloping Hill Inn.  As I feel the buns are a bit large for a single, I tried to order two doubles for the price of one.  They wouldn't do it, so I was forced to get two with fried onions/mustard, and two plain for my son.  I ended up pulling off alot of the bread on my two singles.  Don't understand the logic for not just letting me buy one double, the second free, but in any case they did hit the spot.

Doesn't make sense. Save a bun, lower the food cost. Was it a kid or someone who should know better, like the owner?

Youngish kid.  I didn't want to make a big deal of it, as the promotion had the place hopping.

John, hopefully not too far off your theme on this thread, but...
You and others refer to 6-8-13 etc per pound refering to the size of a dog.  I assume this is also the "6/1", "8/1"etc reference also used.  NOW, (bear with me, you are dealing with a true provincial here), does this or some other designation describe the length of the dog, or is it just the weight?   Thanks in advance for your explanation, NJF

hlroad


John, hopefully not too far off your theme on this thread, but...
You and others refer to 6-8-13 etc per pound referring to the size of a dog.  I assume this is also the "6/1", "8/1"etc reference also used.  NOW, (bear with me, you are dealing with a true provincial here), does this or some other designation describe the length of the dog, or is it just the weight?   Thanks in advance for your explanation, NJF

It's just the number of dogs to the pound. For example, if it's 4/1 that would be 16oz divided by 4 or 4 oz per dog often referred to as a 1/4 pounder. The lengths and consequently, circumference can vary somewhat depending on the company they're from. To the best of my knowledge, there are no restrictions on the length of the Dog itself. All the USDA, FDA, NAFTA, IRS, NFL , NBA, MLB and NCAA cares about is that if the package says 1 pound, that there's 1 pound of dogs in there and they're safe to eat.

I've had my doubts about posting this but the subject of x/1 lb. piqued my curiosity so I did a little investigation on the subject.
 
To me, the whole X number per pound thing has no validity unless there is a large difference in weight that is easily discernable and the length of the hot dog is included.
 
Stating that a hot dog is X number to a pound without including the length of it really doesn't give an accurate description of the physical appearance of the hot dog. It could be short and fat or it could long and skinny and still be the same number of hot dogs to a pound.
 
In the past I've bought Don's Best (Brand) at a local meat distributor twice. You had to buy 5 lbs. minimum. Each time, I bought 5 lbs. and I received 15 hot dogs wrapped in orangey beige butcher paper and sealed with 1" masking tape. 15/5 = 3. That's 3/1 lb. The Best Provision site lists these hot dogs as being 3/1 lb. Although they could have cheated me, they didn't. As I remember the Don's dog was around 10 ~ 12 inches long. These hot dogs have been described here as being 1/4 pound or 4/1, they're 1/3 pound or 3/1.
 
I've seen Syd's hot dogs mentioned here and they've been described as being 5 to a pound. They're not 5/1 they're 6/1. That means Syd's hot dogs are half the weight of Don's. Syd's are also listed on the above link.
 
The preceding sentence is the result of erroneous information about the Syd's dog as listed at the above link. I've brought this to Best's attention and whether they correct it or not is up to them. The Syd's dog is 5/1. 
 
Other than pointing out that Best published the wrong weight for the Syd's dog I'm leaving the original post as it was for the sake of continuity.
 
Unfortunately Best Provisions does not state the lengths of their hot dogs, which makes it difficult to imagine the appearance of the dog. The Sabrett site lists their products by number per pound and length. At least you have an idea what the product looks like as opposed to the Best Provisions list.
 
This is an example of the number of anything that constitutes one pound. It could be cookies, candy bars, or frankfurters, etc.
 
6/1 lb. = 2.66 oz. each
7/1 lb. = 2.2857 oz. each ---- Weight difference from 6/1 lb. = 0.3743 oz.
8/1 lb. = 2 oz. each ----------- Weight difference from 7/1 lb. = 0.2857 oz.
9/1 lb. = 1.7777 oz. each ---- Weight difference from 8/1 lb. = 0.2223 oz.
10/1 lb. = 1.6 oz. each ------- Weight difference from 9/1 lb. = 0.1777 oz.
11/1 lb. = 1.4545 oz. each --- Weight difference from 10/1 lb. = 0.1455 oz.
12/1 lb. = 1.3333 oz. each --- Weight difference from 11/1 lb. = 0.1212 oz.
 
It seems that the most commonly quoted hot dog weights are 8/1, 10/1 and 12/1. This is how these 3 weights compare:
 
The difference between an 8/1 lb. dog and a 10/1 lb. dog is 0.4 oz.
 
The difference between a 10/1 lb. dog and a 12/1 lb. dog is 0.2567 oz.
 
The difference between an 8/1 lb. dog and a 12/1 lb. dog is 0.6667 oz.
 
These are all raw uncooked weights. Once a frankfurter is boiled, deep-fried, fried on a flat grill, cooked on a gas BBQ grill, or whatever, who knows what it will weigh or how it's appearance will change?
 
It's nice if an owner or employee of a place will tell you the number of hot dogs per pound they purchase and its the actual truth, but often it's left to a guesstimation by the customer.
 
For example: in order to discern differences among the three last examples, you'll have to weigh the raw frankfurter before it is cooked to detect the .4, .2567, and .6667 oz. differences in weight. Why? Because the cooked hot dog will probably not weight the same as when it was uncooked and the hot dog roll at one place may be heavier or lighter than the roll at a different place that has the same hot dog. There will also be varying amounts of mustard and topping(s) on the hot dog. So how can anyone guess the weight of the hot dog without performing the weight measurement?
 
Remember, the statement X/1 is only the weight of the object relative to a total weight of one pound and has nothing to do with the actual appearance of the object (Hot dog).
 
Example: all of these 1 lb. frankfurter packages contained 8 frankfurters all of which weigh 57 grams each except the Dietz & Watson's, which weigh 56 grams each:
 

 
Tired yet? Reaching for the Extra Strength Excedrin? Here's a coupon for a dollar off: http://bit.ly/fUIEyF
 
I've covered Best and Sabrett but there's something missing. What could it be? Hmmmmmmmm.
 
It's Thumann's!
 
Thumann's does not list the length of their hot dog products so who knows how they look.
 
I have no idea which of these is the "fryer" or the "griller" and by now, I don't really care. 
 
This list exactly duplicates the list of the five available hot dogs on the Thumann's website as listed from top to bottom:
 
Thumann's gram to ounce (X/1 lb.) conversion:
 
Beef Frankfurter - Skinless: 45 grams = 1.5873282 ounces each  
That's 10.079831 per pound or 10/1.  
Beef Frankfurter Pushcart Style - Natural Casing: 57 grams = 2.0106158 ounces each  
That's 7.957761 per pound or 8/1.  
Jumbo Pork and Beef Frankfurter - Skinless: 113 grams = 3.9859577 ounces each  
That's 4.0140918 per pound or 4/1.  
Pork and Beef Frankfurter - Natural Casing: 76 grams = 2.6808211 ounces each  
That's 6.134473 per pound or 6/1  
Pork and Beef Frankfurter - Skinless: 45 grams = 1.5873282 ounces each  
That's 10.079831 per pound or 10/1.   
 
This WILL be on the April 24th test. Have a Happy Easter!   
 
If anyone would like to do Grote & Weigle; here's the website: http://groteandweigel.com/ It only lists two hot dogs, one skinless & one natural casing.
 
Whew! I'm done. Exposition over.

To paraphrase Mickey Mantle after Casey Stengel's testimony before Congress, I pretty much agree with what Food Fan says....
 
Anyway, has anyone tried those A & H Beef franks pictured above? I've seen them in Costco. I can't even tell if they are skinless or natural casing and the label doesn't indicate one way or another (probably means they are skinless). And I'm not sure who actually makes them, I never heard of the maker listed on the label.
 
 

Foodfan,
What is the point of your essay?

Food Fan - got your point, thanks a million.

ken8038


To paraphrase Mickey Mantle after Casey Stengel's testimony before Congress, I pretty much agree with what Food Fan says....

Anyway, has anyone tried those A & H Beef franks pictured above? I've seen them in Costco. I can't even tell if they are skinless or natural casing and the label doesn't indicate one way or another (probably means they are skinless). And I'm not sure who actually makes them, I never heard of the maker listed on the label.

 
Ken,
 
I've had these franks a few years ago. Got them at a Stop & Shop in Elizabeth. They are Glatt Kosher and skinless. A very unique taste; either you will like it or you won't. Nothing middle of the road here. I thought they had a weird spicing and flavor. Almost metallic tasting. http://www.abeles-heymann.com/
 
Regarding the number per pound, it is true that franks come in different lengths even if they are the same weight or # per pound. When talking about 4/1 or quarter pounders, there are short and fat and there are longer and thinner. I prefer the latter. Best's 4/1 are short and fat. They do make a 4/1 that is longer for one guy who sells them on the Sandy Hook Beach. Max's and the Windmill both use the longer 4/1. I get the Syd's dogs frequently. They are 5 to a lb and my experience has been that they are pretty close. I usually get 2 pounds which comes out to 10 dogs. When you are dealing with natural casing franks there is some variation in regards to size.

Thanks for the info on those AH Hot Dogs. I think I'll pass on them, especially since I'd be stuck with 3 pounds of them if I bought them at Costco.

Hello all ,
I was never good with math (:
Great posts though , once again if it tastes good I ewill purchase it
Benzee

How I would love to try a Jersey Dog.  I was born in Irvington, and moved to Highland Lakes, N.J.
which is vernon township, Great Gorge, Vernon Valley area.  Are there any carts around there???
 

Sorry for the delay. I couldn't connect to the Internet. My diagnostics said there was no DNS server. After hours on the phone with the Verizon idiots in India who told me there was DNS service to my phone, I was told my modem was bad and that they'd mail a new one to me. Oh, the adventure goes on from there into yesterday. I'm sure you guys know what it's like talking to 3 in India one day, 2 in India, 1 in Florida and 1 in The Philippines the next day. As I told them, my modem was OK. It was their DNS server that was the problem.  ...and I just sold my last ICBM.  

ken8083, 
A & H Products Inc. is on Ramsey Ave. in Hillside: http://bit.ly/eW2F7e You can buy a package of A & H at a place that may be familiar to you: http://glattstar.com/ Remember the little kosher grocery store with it's own parking lot that was next to Jaspan's Hardware on Elmora Ave? That's it. http://glattstar.com/location.html By the way, Jaspan's closed a couple of years ago. Sorry to see them go - nice store and nice people.
 
As I remember from the report on 15 hotdogs that I was doing, these A & H hot dogs were skinless, lightly spiced and had a just a hint of garlic in them. A couple of years ago the price was around $5.00 for the 1 lb. package pictured above. Some people like a hot dog that's doesn't have much spice or garlic it. I'm in the other faction. I wouldn't buy this one again except to take pictures of the dogs to include in a report.
 
If you're in the Elmora area and want to try them; when you enter the store go to the leftmost aisle past the deli counter and the selection of hotdogs will be half way down the refrigerated section.
 
I was told the owner of Glatt Star can make a Sloppy Joe but since they don't have ham I've never gotten one there.
 
If you go there and like Middle Eastern food, Jerusalem Pizzeria across the street has the best falafel I've ever tasted and I've had them in Passaic and Manhattan. The Old Jerusalem Platter is excellent too.
 
Foodbme, 
I think the second, third and fourth sentences explain my purpose and the picture demonstrates the fact. The weights that I included show the small differences among the different hot dog weights.
 
If I were to describe myself and only state that I weigh 210 lbs. What does that tell you about my actual appearance? If I told you that I have a Chrysler that weighs 3,276 lbs. could you find it in a parking lot?
 
That's pretty much the point; a statement of only weight doesn't describe the hot dog's appearance.
Sabrett has skinless 8/1 that are 5 5/8", 6 3/8", and 7 1/8". Would someone be able to tell that the short dog is the same weight as the long dog after they're cooked and put into a bun with toppings on them?
 
I think saying that the dog is in a standard supermarket sized hot dog bun and it's shorter than the bun, as long as the bun or longer than the bun, and skinny or fat might be a better description than only stating it's weight. At least people have an idea how it looks.
 
John Fox, 
When you said that 2lb's of Syd's dogs came out to 10 dogs I realized that the Best Provision web site was wrong. I called them and told them that they should correct it. I also asked them about what looks like another mistake on their web published hot dog list. All their dogs are listed as number/pound. One of them is listed as 7/6. It turns out that this is the only dog on that page that's listed by length & weight. It's a 7" dog that's 6 to a pound. I suggested that they include the length as well as the weight for every item so that people would have an idea what the hot dog looks like, just as Sabrett does.
 
I changed the original post to reflect Best's mistake and tightened it up a little bit. You put a double spaced post here and you end up with triple spacing. Bad CSS.

Has anyone ever heard any more info about Mr. Dee's from Sayreville? I know they closed supposedly due to tax problems.
 
Does anyone know the people who owned it? I'd pay $1000 for that "Special Dee" recipe.

Bazz


How I would love to try a Jersey Dog.  I was born in Irvington, and moved to Highland Lakes, N.J.
which is vernon township, Great Gorge, Vernon Valley area.  Are there any carts around there???

 
Were you in Charlie's Pool Room in February? I think we met there the week of President's Day

Food fan, thanks for the info on where to get the A&H Hot Dogs in Elizabeth. Yes I know that Glatt store next to Jaspan, although I don't remember if I've ever actually been in there. next time I'm over that way I'll stop in and pick up a pack.
 
On the same street, I heard that Elmora Bagels has closed. that's awful. Best bagel I know of in NJ.
 
 

ken8083,
 
Around the time that I bought those A & H's a Manhattan Bagel moved in 2 doors down from Elmora Bagel which was, as I'm sure you remember, a down & dirty bagel joint. Bagels in steel wire baskets on the counter and Temtee cream cheese and sodas in a sliding glass door refrigerator was all they had.  I haven't been down there since Manhattan Bagel moved in but since Manhattan Bagel sells coffee, breakfast and lunch sandwiches and more, I expected Elmora to be put out of business by that yuppie puppy chain.
 
It was great when you walked in and they were dumping hot fresh bagels into the baskets and they were still soft & warm when you got them home. The onion, plain, and garlic were my favorites. Soft and luscious warm bagels with Temtee whipped cream cheese. Oh, yeah.
 
That little grocery store has at least one other hot dog that I haven't tried yet too. Just remember Glatt is closed Fridays & Saturdays and Jerusalem is closed Friday at 3pm & Saturdays.

i'm seeing something about Papaya Queen in newark on broad street close to raymond blvd..... the office district . train station area ...... anybody know anything about this ?  JF u know anything ? 

This place is not a Papaya King knockoff or even a hot dog joint. Looks to be a regular luncheonette/breakfast spot judging from the menu. They do serve a hot dog though.
 
http://www.newarkpulse.com/uploads/business/pdf/menu248.pdf

Hey , what's going on here ? no new discoveries , no places going out of business ? any new places that opened ? .............. very very quite around here !!!

Dog Boss


Hey , what's going on here ? no new discoveries , no places going out of business ? any new places that opened ? .............. very very quite around here !!!

With 53 pages and almost 1800 posts, what else is there to say???

Dog Boss


Hey , what's going on here ? no new discoveries , no places going out of business ? any new places that opened ? .............. very very quite around here !!!

With 53 pages and almost 1800 posts, what else is there to say???

Hello all ,
A few new possibilities up in th Hudson valley section of NY , will let everyone  know when I get  there
Benzee

Dog Boss


Hey , what's going on here ? no new discoveries , no places going out of business ? any new places that opened ? .............. very very quite around here !!!

Hey, did anyone ever try Dan's Dogs in Atlantic Highlands located on First Avenue near the Atlantic Highlands Marina. He has been in Jersey Joes for a sausage sandwich now-and-then. I'd review it myself but I'm really not a fan a dirty water dogs.

Jack's Frank & Fries is a new hot dog restaurant that's been open a little over a week. They haven't had a Grand Opening yet and are still in their "soft opening" stage. Located in a small strip mall on Rt. 22 West in Union behind the Sprint store, Jack's is a small clean restaurant with some stools and a counter for eating in.
 
I stopped in yesterday and sampled their hot dogs, hot dog chili, regular chili (with beans) and two types of cole slaw; creamy and vinegary. The chili and coleslaw are homemade. For me the hot dogs are what I come for first and foremost. Everything else is secondary, but certainly adds to or detracts from the experience.
 
The dogs are natural casing Sabrett all beef, 8/1. They are prepared 2 ways. Steamed or on a flat top griddle. The steamed dogs are actually steamed in a special compartment, not heated in hot water with the top covered which is what many consider steamed. I had my dogs grilled on the flat top. They were done just right and put on potato buns from Stroehmann's which made for a good frank to bun ratio. A Martin's roll would have been too big for this particular dog. I sampled 3 mustards which they are currently experimenting with. Admiration deli mustard, Gold's deli mustard, and Gold's dusseldorf. All 3 are great, but I prefer Admiration for a spicy beef dog.
 
The natural casing Sabrett's here are on the same level as the best places in New Jersey and New York that serve them. Namely Papaya King, Gray's, Katz's, Dover Grill, and Boulevard Drinks. I prefer the dogs here to the Papaya places and Boulevard Drinks because the frank is a better size. BVoulevard Drinks uses a tiny 12/1 frank. Papaya King claims a 10/1, though to my eye it appears smaller. I've heard that they use franks that are anywhere from 12 to 10 to a lb. At 8/1, Jack's is a good size. Katz's deli in NYC uses a 7/1. But they charge close to $4.00 for it. Jack's is much closer to me and more affordable, charging more than a dollar less than Katz's, but using the same recipe natural casing frank and preparing them in smaller quantitites. Jack's is now my favorite place to get a grilled Sabrett natural casing dog. From talking with the owner I am confident that they will maintain consistency. It's always a good sign when the owner is there serving you your hot dog.
 
I had one dog with mustard and one with mustard and chili. The chili here is very good. Thick as opposed to the thin Passaic/Clifton area Texas Weiner sauce, it had a hint of chocolate and is very similar to the chili served at Amazing Hot Dog. Highly recommended. The regular chili had beans and was much thicker. It too was good and had a good amount of heat. I preferred the hot dog chili.
 
The homemade coleslaws were tasty and fresh. The vinegar coleslaw was very crunchy (maybe too much so) and the creamy coleslaw had a little bit of mustard and is patterned after Primanti's in Pittsburgh. Eric, who owns Jack's with his wife Linda, is from Pittsburgh. I would definitely order the creamy coleslaw when I return.
 
Jack's offers traditional toppings along with a lot of untraditional ones such as sambal and cream cheese that I believe are a waste and do not belong on a quality frankfurter. To me they serve to mask rather than complement the actual frankfurter which should be what is focused on. Same criticism I had of Amazing Hot Dog except that Jack's dogs were served piping hot while Amazing often served theirs cool or even cold. But I do realize that many people like and seek out such toppings. I'll stick to mustard and maybe chili.
 
Jack's serves a great hot dog. It is prepared well, which too many places today get wrong. I will definitely be back and am strongly considering adding them to the 8th Annual New Jersey Hot Dog Tour.

John Fox


Jack's Frank & Fries is a new hot dog restaurant that's been open a little over a week. They haven't had a Grand Opening yet and are still in their "soft opening" stage. Located in a small strip mall on Rt. 22 West in Union behind the Sprint store, Jack's is a small clean restaurant with some stools and a counter for eating in.

I stopped in yesterday and sampled their hot dogs, hot dog chili, regular chili (with beans) and two types of cole slaw; creamy and vinegary. The chili and coleslaw are homemade. For me the hot dogs are what I come for first and foremost. Everything else is secondary, but certainly adds to or detracts from the experience.

The dogs are natural casing Sabrett all beef, 8/1. They are prepared 2 ways. Steamed or on a flat top griddle. The steamed dogs are actually steamed in a special compartment, not heated in hot water with the top covered which is what many consider steamed. I had my dogs grilled on the flat top. They were done just right and put on potato buns from Stroehmann's which made for a good frank to bun ratio. A Martin's roll would have been too big for this particular dog. I sampled 3 mustards which they are currently experimenting with. Admiration deli mustard, Gold's deli mustard, and Gold's dusseldorf. All 3 are great, but I prefer Admiration for a spicy beef dog.

The natural casing Sabrett's here are on the same level as the best places in New Jersey and New York that serve them. Namely Papaya King, Gray's, Katz's, Dover Grill, and Boulevard Drinks. I prefer the dogs here to the Papaya places and Boulevard Drinks because the frank is a better size. BVoulevard Drinks uses a tiny 12/1 frank. Papaya King claims a 10/1, though to my eye it appears smaller. I've heard that they use franks that are anywhere from 12 to 10 to a lb. At 8/1, Jack's is a good size. Katz's deli in NYC uses a 7/1. But they charge close to $4.00 for it. Jack's is much closer to me and more affordable, charging more than a dollar less than Katz's, but using the same recipe natural casing frank and preparing them in smaller quantitites. Jack's is now my favorite place to get a grilled Sabrett natural casing dog. From talking with the owner I am confident that they will maintain consistency. It's always a good sign when the owner is there serving you your hot dog.

I had one dog with mustard and one with mustard and chili. The chili here is very good. Thick as opposed to the thin Passaic/Clifton area Texas Weiner sauce, it had a hint of chocolate and is very similar to the chili served at Amazing Hot Dog. Highly recommended. The regular chili had beans and was much thicker. It too was good and had a good amount of heat. I preferred the hot dog chili.

The homemade coleslaws were tasty and fresh. The vinegar coleslaw was very crunchy (maybe too much so) and the creamy coleslaw had a little bit of mustard and is patterned after Primanti's in Pittsburgh. Eric, who owns Jack's with his wife Linda, is from Pittsburgh. I would definitely order the creamy coleslaw when I return.

Jack's offers traditional toppings along with a lot of untraditional ones such as sambal and cream cheese that I believe are a waste and do not belong on a quality frankfurter. To me they serve to mask rather than complement the actual frankfurter which should be what is focused on. Same criticism I had of Amazing Hot Dog except that Jack's dogs were served piping hot while Amazing often served theirs cool or even cold. But I do realize that many people like and seek out such toppings. I'll stick to mustard and maybe chili.

Jack's serves a great hot dog. It is prepared well, which too many places today get wrong. I will definitely be back and am strongly considering adding them to the 8th Annual New Jersey Hot Dog Tour.

An endorsement from you is better than being on Oprah!!

Thanks John, sounds like a great addition to the local scene. I'll get there soon. I just hope enough people can find Jack's to make it a success, it sounds like it's not all that visible from 22.

Funny, that's almost the same location as the now retired Charlies Sons I was asking about last week.

John Fox

The homemade coleslaws were tasty and fresh. The vinegar coleslaw was very crunchy (maybe too much so) and the creamy coleslaw had a little bit of mustard and is patterned after Primanti's in Pittsburgh. Eric, who owns Jack's with his wife Linda, is from Pittsburgh. I would definitely order the creamy coleslaw when I return. 

 
 
This surprises me a little, because I would consider the coleslaw from Primanti's to be all the way on the vinegar side of the vinegar-creamy coleslaw spectrum.
 
(I do appreciate your detailed reviews, John. Your careful, detailed reviews are a model I try to emulate.)

Ralph,
 
I was wrong about the slaw. Eric the owner corrected me and said the vinegar slaw is the one patterned after Primanti's. He also said that someone from Pittsburgh would probably pick up on it. Good observation! This particular slaw was too crunchy because it was made in the morning and the cabbage needs a day or so to settle down.

John ,
Excellent report as usual , thanks for the heads up on a new place for dogs
Benzee

Haven't been on Roadfood for a long time but I'm back.  I'm a hotdog fanatic too.  Hard deciding which dog I liked best but I've finally settled on Hummel Big Bites.  Quarter pound hotdogs that are THE BOMB.  My problem with other dogs is they are small. You eat one of these and you've had a little roll with your hotdog instead of a little hotdog with your roll. 

hummelgal
 .... You eat one of these and you've had a little roll with your hotdog instead of a little hotdog with your roll. 

Have you ever tried a real "REAL" Double Italian Hot Dog? 

A question to those who would know better to me.  I was talking to someone on Facebook about Dickie Dee's chunky potatoes vs. Jimmy Buff's sliced potatoes.  He seems to be very pro-Dickie Dee's and claims Jimmy Buff's is not what it was years ago.  He also claimed that at one time Jimmy Buff's used cubed potatoes rather than sliced.  My memories go back to about '71 or '72 when I was a little kid, and as far as I can remember, JB always used sliced potatoes.
 
Anyone know any differently?  And to be honest, I can't really taste any noticeable difference over the years.  I was in Los Angeles for 19 years before moving back in Sept.  So it had been awhile since I had been eating Italian Hot Dogs, and Jimmy's still taste great.
 
Thanks, all!
 
Dan

DanielPriceXYZ
 

... Jimmy Buff's is not what it was years ago...
 
Anyone know any differently?  And to be honest, I can't really taste any noticeable difference over the years.  I was in Los Angeles for 19 years before moving back in Sept.  So it had been awhile since I had been eating Italian Hot Dogs, and Jimmy's still taste great.

Thanks, all!

Dan

I personally have only been to the Rte. 22 location recently but my customers tell me JB's is not the same as it used to be. I can not attest to that as I did not frequent JB years ago.
I do not claim to be an expert on others Italian Hot Dogs .... just my own! We use sliced potatoes.  

Jersey Joe
 

Rest assured that the Italian Hot Dogs at the  Jimmy Buff's locations I frequent---East Hanover and Kenilworth, N.J.---are as good as ever. They are one of the main reasons to remain in or visit N.J. Insofar as wedge-shaped potatoes, I don't recall Buff's ever using them...it's been sliced potatoes for the decades I've been visiting their different establishments. As it was at Amato's, Hawthorne Avenue, and later Lyons Ave., Newark, N.J., my favorite neighborhood Italian Hot Dog purveyor growing up.
 
Just to be sure quality is being kept up, I had an early Father's Day luncheon treat at the Kenilworth Buff's location yesterday. It was superb. 
 
  The Bear

ScreenBear

Rest assured that the Italian Hot Dogs at the  Jimmy Buff's locations I frequent---East Hanover and Kenilworth, N.J.---are as good as ever. 
The Bear

What about the West Orange location?  

Anyone else been there lately?  I was there about a year ago.  It's less than 10 min from me.  Could not believe how shabby it was.  Cleanliness was very much an issue.   Hard to believe it is owned by the same people who run the E Hanover place.  Will not be returning.
ed

ScreenBear


Rest assured that the Italian Hot Dogs at the  Jimmy Buff's locations I frequent---East Hanover and Kenilworth, N.J.---are as good as ever. They are one of the main reasons to remain in or visit N.J. Insofar as wedge-shaped potatoes, I don't recall Buff's ever using them...it's been sliced potatoes for the decades I've been visiting their different establishments. As it was at Amato's, Hawthorne Avenue, and later Lyons Ave., Newark, N.J., my favorite neighborhood Italian Hot Dog purveyor growing up.

Just to be sure quality is being kept up, I had an early Father's Day luncheon treat at the Kenilworth Buff's location yesterday. It was superb. 

The Bear

 
I agree with Screenbear. To my knowledge Jimmy Buff's never used cubed potatoes. It's been a few years since I've been to West Orange, but the dogs were the same high quality as Kenilworth and East Hanover.

WarmBeer

ScreenBear

Rest assured that the Italian Hot Dogs at the  Jimmy Buff's locations I frequent---East Hanover and Kenilworth, N.J.---are as good as ever. 
The Bear

What about the West Orange location?  

Anyone else been there lately?  I was there about a year ago.  It's less than 10 min from me.  Could not believe how shabby it was.  Cleanliness was very much an issue.   Hard to believe it is owned by the same people who run the E Hanover place.  Will not be returning.
ed

 
that's what i found at the scotch plains location ........... grease was on everything ........... i understand, that they  cook in grease , but come on, you need to clean up !!!!!

I have been going to Jimmy Buff's (starting with the the original location in Newark) since I was a teenager in the 1960's.  I do not remember them ever having anything but sliced potatoes.
 
I am not fond of Dickie Dee's.  The sandwich is much too greasy for my tastes.

Thanks to John Lockedema and Ken8038 for posting about the Green Village Packing Co. They provide meats and provisions to many restaurants in the area. Located in Green Village, which I believe is a section of Chatam, they have a slaughterhouse on the premises and butcher and process all their meats.
 
While I have not been there yet, someone sent me a package of their German franks. As good a German frank as I've had and that includes Kocher's and Thumann's. I happenned to have a frank from the Union Pork Store (one of my favorites) and some Berks from Reading PA. I sampled all three and preferred the frank from Green Village. Long and thin at 8 to a lb, it had an excellent snap, texture, and most of all flavor. I wish I had a Kocher's and Thumann's to compare.
 
I spoke with Bill Kleemeyer whose family owns Green Village. He told me that the franks are pork/beef with a little more pork than beef. While these franks are purchased by delis most of their business is supplying meats to restaurants and other customers. In fact they supply Kocher's with the meats they use.
 
Green Village franks are top of the line and go for $4.19 a lb which is reasonable. Thumann's and Kocher's are about $5.99 per lb. The animals are slaughtered there, the meat is butchered, processed, and made into hot dogs. Can't get any fresher.

Here is their site: http://www.greenvillagepacking.com/

John, I'm glad to see someone else besides me touting Green Village Packing. I have several cousins who live on that dead end street, Britten Road, and I've been a client for years. They had mentioned to me they tried to become a supplier for Galloping Hill but had no success! Their steaks are incredible, you can also get Tri Tip, hanger and flat iron steaks there as well. I go a few times a month, but their retail hours are limited. They do great roast pigs as a caterer too.

John Fox

Here is their site: http://www.greenvillagepacking.com/

Not much on their web site. No contact info etc. Do you know if they ship?

Don't know if they ship. I'll ask next time I speak with Bill. Or you can e-mail them.

John Fox

Don't know if they ship. I'll ask next time I speak with Bill. Or you can e-mail them.

That's the problem----There's NO contact info on the web site. They may as well not have a web site for all that's not available on there. You need to "Counsel" them!

If you go to their site and click on specials/catering you will find a telephone # and e-mail address.

John Fox


If you go to their site and click on specials/catering you will find a telephone # and e-mail address.

That tool bar is blacked out unless you scroll over it and happen to land on the link. I never would have found the link if you didn't tip me off.
You need to tell them they need to get their money back from whomever designed that web site. I don't understand these kooky web designers that think cute artistics are more important than function.
Web sites should be designed to help the viewer be able to read them and get everyrthing they need EASILY!

Foodbme

John Fox


If you go to their site and click on specials/catering you will find a telephone # and e-mail address.

That tool bar is blacked out unless you scroll over it and happen to land on the link. I never would have found the link if you didn't tip me off.
You need to tell them they need to get their money back from whomever designed that web site. I don't understand these kooky web designers that think cute artistics are more important than function.
Web sites should be designed to help the viewer be able to read them and get everyrthing they need EASILY!

Green Village Packing does not ship, I was there yesterday and asked.  The current website is an improvement over the last!  Since I'd guess 95% of their business is wholesale they don't really get a benefit from having a sophisticated website.

There will be an article on hot dogs in general and New Jersey hot dogs in particular this coming Saturday. If you live in Passaic or Bergen County, the article will be in the Herald and the Record. If you do not have access to these papers, you can read the article online at northjersey.com.
 
Benzee and the New Jersey Hot Dog Tour will be mentioned in the article.

Hello all ,
Thanks to John in advance for the mention .  And we expect a big response to the tour after Sat as it will be in the paper . Anyone not reserved yet for the 8th Annual Jersey Hot Dog Tour  for Sept 24th , please let me know so I can save  you roadfooders a seat
Benzee

Benzee


Hello all ,
Thanks to John in advance for the mention .  And we expect a big response to the tour after Sat as it will be in the paper . Anyone not reserved yet for the 8th Annual Jersey Hot Dog Tour  for Sept 24th , please let me know so I can save  you roadfooders a seat
Benzee

Good Luck with your tour! If your tour decides to visit Central/South Jersey everyone is more than welcome in Jersey Joe's.

A link to an article in the New Jersey Leisure Guide about New Jersey Hot Dogs. The information came from various sources including e-mails and posts from forums like this one.
 
http://www.new-jersey-leisure-guide.com/best-hot-dogs.html